Pirates of the Caribbean: Fountain of Youth
by Alex - obsessive pirate lover
Summary: Nine years after AWE, Elizabeth and her son are only months away from seeing Will Turner again. But, when Jack Sparrow appears at their doorstep to propose a voyage to the Fountain of Youth, could Will be freed of his duty aboard the Dutchman, forever?
1. Chapter 1

Well, this is my first fanfiction, and it'd be great if you would be kind enough to leave me some feedback. Thanks!

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_Pirates of the Caribbean: Fountain of Youth_

Chapter 1

Captain Jack Sparrow sat at one of the many taverns in Tortuga, sipping rum that tasted incredibly bitter, but he drank in nonetheless. Some sloshed out of the cup when he slammed in down onto the bar. _Why am I still here, _he thought, propping his head up on his palm. _Oh, that's right, I don't have a bloody ship! _He snorted, looking over at Gibbs, whom he had finally let have a glimpse at the map. Gibbs looked rather silly, sliding around the different parts of the map, although they never quite fit together to make an accurate diagram. Jack looked around at the rest of the bar. Men and women, fighting, laughing, singing, dancing, drinking. _Ah, Tortuga_, he smirked. 

Suddenly, he was approached by two familiar, aged faces, interrupting his thoughts.

"Just the _captain_ we've been looking for," Pintel sneered, using extra emphasis on the word captain, almost making fun of the term.

"Barbossa is outside." He grumbled, his right hand tightly clutching his sword threateningly, although he didn't really know why. Ragetti stood behind him, slouching unenthusiastically.

"Good for him! Ask him if he would like an award?" Jack said sarcastically. Pintel only rolled his eyes as Gibbs looked over at them uneasily. Jack hesitated, then stumbled to his feet, regaining his balance. He signaled for Gibbs to follow.

Outside Barbossa was waiting with an arrogant, impatient look on his face. Cotton, Marty, and a few other miscellaneous crewmembers that Jack barely recognized stood by him, looking nervous.

"Ah, Hector, when was the last time I seen ye? You've aged," Jack smirked. Barbossa grinned back mockingly.

"Jack... how can I say this?" He looked off into space, faking thoughtfulness. Jack looked in the same direction he was looking, shifting his entire body so he could stare off thoughtlessly into the same space. Barbossa turned to look at Jack, "I be needin' that map of yours, I assume you still have it-"

"Of course I still have it! But what makes ye think I'll just hand it over?" Jack wondered if Barbossa had spent the last few years looking for him or the Fountain of Youth. He began to examine the rings on his fingers, then started counting. He had counted six when Barbossa again interrupted his thoughts.

"Well, seeing that you've spent the last, what, nine years? Yes, that's about right. Seeing as ye've spent these previous _nine_ years drinking rum and whatnot on this scrawny port of Tortuga, I figure you have nothing better to do than bargain a bit with me. What's say you hand over the map, and I'll let ye onto my ship." Of course Barbossa did not intend to let Jack reside in his ship for more than a few minutes. Once they were out into open water, he hoped to perhaps shoot him, toss him overboard, and be done with it.

"_My_ ship," Jack corrected, "Unless you've recently commandeered another other than the _Black Pearl_." He snorted. "Where are ye going, again?" Jack inquired, mindlessly resuming his ring count.

"Fountain of Youth. Immortality?" Barbossa said tiredly.

"Ah, yes. Well I suppose Mr. Gibbs and I will join you then." Jack said, sounding as if he may die of boredom, although he was actually glad Barbossa had finally shown up. His last attempt at getting to the Fountain hadn't turned out so well. Mr. Gibbs coughed a bit, then looked hesitantly at Jack and Barbossa, and finally nodded, realizing he had no say in the matter.

"Right, so it's agreed. We'll be leaving in next to no time, so pack ye're belongings, that is, if ye have any, and if you're not at the dock within the hour, we'll most certainly leave without ye." Barbossa threatened. Jack knew he would do no such thing. _Where would he go without the map,_ thought Jack.

"Aye," Jack said. Barbossa turned to leave when Jack shouted, "wait," Barbossa gave a quiet groan, then he turned back to Jack, "I have some conditions." Jack smirked. _Why did I say that,_ he thought, _I have no conditions, immortality is enough for me. _Then, conditions came to him.

"I shall not be treated like another crewmember. I shall be treated as... captain!" Jack bellowed. Barbossa snorted.

"I'm captain." Barbossa said.

"Ye act as if you're captain, although we all know whom the _real_ captain is." Jack said with a glare. They stood in silence for a few moments, looking fiercely at one another. Others walked by, shooting questioning glances towards the arguing men.

"Co-captain." Barbossa hissed.

"There is no such thing." Jack snapped. There was a pause.

"...Commodore?" Barbossa inquired with a grin. Jack pondered it for awhile, then he shrugged.

"Captain," he said, "I shall settle for nothing less." He sneered. Barbossa sighed. The crew's heads turned from Jack to Barbossa, listening to each side of the argument.

"Fine, captain. But I be captain, as well" He sighed, as if this was a huge agreement, which it was to him.

"Fine. Fair enough. Oh, and one more thing," Jack grinned as Barbossa grimaced, "I think... Lizzie should come with us." Barbossa looked at him as if he had just proposed they go without rum all the way through the entire journey.

"... Lizzie?"

"Yes, Lizzie. Elizabeth? Former Miss Swann, whom is now Mrs. Turner." Jack said, somewhat impatiently. He had made this request just for the sake of having a condition. Plus, he realized he did miss her a bit, and exasperating Barbossa was an additional benefit.

"Do ye even know where she is?" Barbossa asked, rolling his eyes.

"Port Royal." Jack stated certainly, although this was only a guess. He then began thinking that perhaps bringing her wasn't such a good idea. She just seemed to be enveloped in trouble in despair all the time. Or maybe that was just when she was around him. Or maybe it seemed that way since she had killed him. Now he was regretting deciding she should come, but he didn't dare say never mind, for Barbossa would pester him even more excessively.

"... So ye do understand she's... married." Barbossa simpered.

"Unfortunately," Jack muttered, "But what else has she got to do?" He paused, realizing another perk of her company, "And if all else fails, we'll have some leverage to bargain with. The heart. She'd never leave it, and it could be of great value to us in the near future."

Barbossa only stared at him for a few seconds, but then gave up.

"Fine, I be needin' some miscellaneous provisions and may as well get 'em from Port Royal. But no more conditions," Jack was about to protest, but decided he had pushed his limits far enough.

"Do ye think that was completely wise, captain?" Gibbs questioned, hesitantly, after Barbossa and his men were out of hearing distance.

"Immortality, Mr. Gibbs, immortality." Jack smiled.


	2. Chapter 2

Okay, a few notes here: If you saw the scene after the credits, note that Elizabeth and her son have not seen Will yet in my story, I'm kind of ignoring that scene. Another thing, some of you may already know, but Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End was originally about three hours. However, they cut twenty minutes or so out of it. Those twenty minutes explained that if Elizabeth stayed faithful to Will, he could stay on land after ten years of captaining the Dutchman. I'm ignoring that fact, too. Elizabeth can only see him once every ten years. Anyway, carry on. Read and review, that would be lovely. :-)

Another thing, sorry for taking almost a full week to add a second chapter, I was editing obsessively. I'll update faster after this chapter, and perhaps some reviews would encourage me to update even _faster_. Haha. :-)

And since everyone else has a disclaimer, I'll put one, too: Elizabeth, Jack, Will, William, etc. belong to Disney, but Lynette is a character I created.

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**Chapter 2**

_The beach. Where they had shared their last day. Where he sailed away. Where she watched her everything sail away. __He didn't look back. He couldn't look back. So he didn't see her collapse on the sand in tears when he arrived at his ship. He didn't see her approached by the tan girl with the tangled mess of braids. He didn't see her taken by the hand back to a home, her home, not many miles away from the shore. Port Royal. He didn't see her try to take care of the ten-year-old orphan, who could easily take care of herself, and his wife. He didn't see the bond they shared. He didn't see how close they grew, when she told her of him. When she laughed and wept with her. When she was completely confused by her. He didn't see the joy on his wife's face when she discovered she would soon have a child. He didn't see his newborn son. He didn't see his child grow. He couldn't. He left. He had to leave. So he did. And they were to be separated for ten years._

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"'Maelstrom!' Mr. Gibbs yells out in a panic. The entire crew stares out into the stormy water to see a huge swirling whirlpool both of the ships are sailing straight into," Lynette drew a swirl with her finger in the white sand as she spoke. 

"They were sailing into it? Why? That's completely foolish." William interrupted.

"Not foolish," she shook her head, searching for the right word, "Risky, I'll admit, but they didn't have a choice. They had to fight. Anyway, the Dutchman-"

"Is this a true story?" William inquired, skeptically.

"Of course, I promise!" She smiled.

Lynette continued her story. She lay on her stomach, just out of reach of the waves that touched farthest up on the shore. She propped up her head with her left hand and doodled in the sand with the other. The wind blew steadily, making the autumn air a bit chilly on the beach just a few miles from Port Royal. William's eyes widened as he listened attentively to the legend. They had been at the beach for hours telling stories. She always had a new tale to tell him; most were about pirates. Whenever Lynette would say, "This one is about your mother" or "Here's a story about your father" William was skeptic. He could scarcely imagine his mother being a pirate. But the stories of his father always intrigued him, since he'd never met his father.

Elizabeth approached the two storytellers soundlessly, smiling at the expressions on her son's face. As silent as she was, Lynette noticed her presence. She sat up.

"Ah, have you come to listen to a tale of Elizabeth the Pirate King?" Lynette asked, smiling. Elizabeth gave a half grin.

"Actually, I came to get William. I'm guessing you're quite hungry after being out here all afternoon?" She asked him.

"A little," He said, rubbing his stomach, "But Lynette had made some cake, and I ate some." He grinned.

"Would you care to join us, Lynette?" She asked.

"That would be lovely, if you don't mind." She smiled. William stood up and dusted off his pants. Lynette tucked a lock of dark brown hair behind her ear before finally managing to get up.

William skipped ahead of his mother and Lynette, singing the songs Elizabeth had taught him years before. It was about half a mile to get to the Turners' dwelling in Port Royal from the beach, and for the first few minutes they walked in silence.

Lynette stared down at her bare feet making shallow impressions in the sand. She looked over her shoulder to realize that they disappeared almost as soon as they formed. Each wave that crashed into the shore took back into the ocean not only sand, but also any trace of her walking along the shoreline. She walked slowly, feeling the cool water and sand stick between her toes. The sleeves of her tatter mahogany shirt ruffled in the cool breeze. Elizabeth's heavy dress fluttered faintly in the dying wind.

She finally turned to Elizabeth, who was staring out into the dark blue water and the setting sun. The combination of sorrow and grief on her face was enough to make Lynette look away.

"Only a few months..." she said, breaking the silence with a phrase that didn't provoke much conversation. Elizabeth blinked, parting from her trance.

"Hm?" She said, returning to reality.

"Only a few months? Until Will can return to this very beach..." She repeated.

"Oh." She said, quietly. Then she turned Lynette, smiling, "Yes, I know... And I'm extremely glad..." she trailed off, her smile fading. She looked ahead at William, whom was still a good thirty paces ahead. She began speaking in a hushed, fragile voice, "But then he'll leave again. I won't see him again for _ten years_, Lynette. That's it. And the decade I've waited to see him was agonizing, and I can't even begin to imagine starting it over. William will only spend a handful of days with him, and I'll have even less." Lynette saw the tears welling up in Elizabeth's eyes that began running down her face, although she tried hard to keep them from emerging. She stopped walking and untied the faded purple cloth from around her wrist, then wiped the tears from Elizabeth's saddened expression.

"I'm sorry," Were the only words Lynette could find, "But cherish the days you do have, and the days with your son, everything will be all right."

"I can only hope."

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They sat in silence, chewing the meat that wasn't quite tender enough. Each of them was trying to think of something to say, but William had already seen that his mother wasn't feeling her best today. William knew her mother had these days, when she was so completely drenched in sorrow that William was afraid to talk to her, afraid to ask what was wrong. Although he rightly knew what was wrong. His father wasn't there. His father wasn't _here._ And there was nothing he could do about it. 

"Do you still wish you were a pirate, mum?" William asked. He instantly regretted it. _Why on earth did I say that_, he asked himself, _bloody idiot_.

Elizabeth took a sip from her drink, seeming unaffected, but inside she was filled with fear, terror, sorrow, shame... and it scared her that mixed with these negative emotions was longing. She filled with a throbbing panic when she realized she longed for adventure. Settling down wasn't quite what she had expected. But she'd met Lynette, and she was a nice girl. Keeping William engrossed for hours with those pirate tales-

_That must have been where the question cam from,_ she thought, _of course._ She cast a meaningful glance over at Lynette, who looked down guiltily down at her plate, up at Elizabeth, then back down at her plate again, blushing.

"Oh, I don't know, not really. My pirate adventures are over," Elizabeth sighed.

As much as William regretted asking the first question, he couldn't restrain himself from asking, "Why?"

"I have you, now," Elizabeth smiled, a bit sadly, which made the comment sound different than she had intended.

"If I wasn't here, would you still be a pirate?" William looked gloomy and somewhat guilty, like he was the cause of his mother no longer being a pirate.

There was silence, and Lynette grimaced involuntarily at the miscommunication as Elizabeth mindlessly pushed meat around her plate, debating what would be appropriate to say, to prevent any further misunderstandings.

"Never, much too dangerous." She replied. That was a lie. _Liar_, she thought, _you are a liar, but you're quite good at lying, aren't you? _Elizabeth herself knew the answer to that question, and she felt terrible. _Much too dangerous, please! It's thrilling!_

She thought about how she really felt. She loved her son and would never trade him for anything, _but I do miss the adventure, the excitement... no I don't. I like it here_, she thought, _I like it here._


	3. Chapter 3

Yes, this chapter is quite short. I will update soon, though. Oh, and I** love **reviews! It'd be fantastic if you could leave me some feedback. Thanks!

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Chapter 3**

Lynette tossed in her sleep, enveloping herself in the coarse netting of the hammock. She was having a dream. Not a terrible dream, but not a very joyous dream either. Rather confusing. Lynette heard a voice... gentle, but very stern nonetheless.

"He's coming." Whispered a voice, so fragile that it sounded as if at any moment it would crack or shatter into a million pieces.

"Who?" Lynette moaned softly in her sleep.

"Jack Sparrow... he is near," The voice replied between gasps of air. "They're going to... the Fountain... of Youth. To grant them immortality..." the voice sneered, and Lynette was almost positive that she heard a faint snicker. She could tell it was a woman, and she had a good idea of who it was. The voice continued, "They do not know that it will lift the curse from... William Turner. He will no longer be bound... to the _Dutchman_. He can step on land again... see his wife... and child," she said the last part with immense sadness, "But no longer be immortal. Elizabeth must go with Jack... she must. She must convince William to give up his one day... to go to the... Fountain. It will work. Do not _dare_ tell Jack or Barbossa... that she's going for this... reason, or else one of them may find a way to use it to... their... advantage."

"Aye, Calypso," Lynette murmured under her breath, still asleep, unable to ask any questions. Calypso was taken aback by the fact that Lynette knew her name and was silent for a few moments, but she eventually replied, "Aye."

Lynette woke with a start, having just landed in a heap on the white sand under her hammock. She looked around at the four walls of her small seaside cottage and sighed. It was relieving to hear the waves steadily crashing against the shore instead of that deathly silence and haunting voice. It was still dark, and Lynette guessed that there was a good hour or so until sunrise, but she knew she had to go tell Elizabeth, _now_. She looked in the direction of their large estate, but Lynette's heart skipped a beat to see a lantern already illuminating some of the rooms as she heard, as if whispered into her ear, the words, "He's... here."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Jack sat on the hard couch, holding the teacup Elizabeth had given him in one hand, drumming his fingers on the table with the other. _I much prefer rum_, he thought. Elizabeth paced back and forth in the large living room. Jack realized this was the first time he had visited Elizabeth in her home. Or, rather, her father's home that she had inherited. It was quite large and extravagant, and he had had no trouble finding it, with the help of a few men at the dock, whom he had discovered were easily persuaded when there was a gun cocked and pointed at each of their foreheads.

Different thoughts were whirling in Elizabeth's mind, such as how relieved she was to see Jack, a familiar face she hadn't seen in almost ten years. She realized she actually missed his enigmatic smirks and sarcasm. Elizabeth was quite surprised to see Jack on her doorstep, and was even a bit hesitant to let him inside, but she was even more surprised by the idea he had come to put forward.

"Jack, I can't come with you, and you know it," She sighed, almost sadly. She secretly yearned for the ecstasy of sailing once again, but continued to try and convince herself that this feeling was completely absurd, "What if the trip takes longer than expected, and I miss Will's one day on land?" Elizabeth shuddered at the thought, deciding that was a completely reasonable excuse not to go, "Plus I can't leave William here alone, and I highly doubt the Fountain of Youth actually grants immortality-"

"Of course it does. This isn't some silly myth, dearie," Jack interrupted, slightly annoyed at her speculation, "Think about it... Will's immortal, and if you take a dip in the Fountain, you will be, too, so he won't have to transport souls without knowing that he'll eventually get to see you again, love. Savvy?" Jack raised his eyebrows, clandestinely pleased at himself for making up a somewhat reasonable rebuttal to her refusal on the spot. Elizabeth was still seemingly unconvinced. She did consider the option Jack offered would create a slightly better situation than the one she was in presently. At that instant, Lynette burst through the door, forgetting to knock.

"Elizabeth!" She shouted. Elizabeth turned quickly to face Lynette, who was already by her side. Lynette glanced at Jack suspiciously, but also with a glint of admiration. Jack had a feeling there was something going on that he didn't know about.

"I'm so relieved you're okay. You _are_ all right, yes?" Lynette looked deeply concerned.

"Yes, I'm fine... what is it? You look so worried." Elizabeth pushed the hair away from Lynette's face, moist with sweat.

"Can I talk to you for a moment? Privately." Lynette asked, dragging Elizabeth away. Jack only shrugged.

"Jack Sparrow, was it?" Lynette asked, panting. Elizabeth nodded, "Rather dashing, isn't he?" Lynette added grinning.

"Lynette!"

"Sorry!" She said, feeling terrible for making that sort of statement when she should be telling her of what she had been informed of, "... Was he asking about you going to the Fountain of Youth with him?" Lynette asked frantically.

"Yes, but-" Elizabeth began; slightly confused by the fact that Lynette knew what they had been talking about.

"I had a dream... you have to go with Jack. Will can have the curse lifted from him if he goes to the Fountain of Youth. But it's on land, so he has to give up his one day with you to go to the Fountain," Lynette gasped, still out of breath from sprinting all the way up the beach, "But only you can convince him to do that. You'll see him on the way, I'm sure. You can see him. You can persuade him," Elizabeth flinched at the word persuade, for it brought back awful memories she's rather not relive, "After the curse is lifted, he can stay on land, with you."

Elizabeth looked at Lynette disbelievingly. "You had a dream? You had a dream. How can you believe something you dreamt of?" Elizabeth looked around nervously.

"Calypso, the sea goddess, she told me. I _know _it. And I believe her. I sound quite insane, correct? Well, I'm not lying. It's all true. Please go." Lynette begged. _Calypso, _Elizabeth thought. The name brought back many memories. Elizabeth squinted at her, realizing how little she knew about Lynette. Where had she come from? She met her the evening after Will had left and from then on Lynette had kept her company. She could still taste the rum cake Lynette had made her the day Will had gone. The sweetness of it had almost dissolved her bitter tears. _But she couldn't exchange a few words with Calypso_, she pondered, _how could she even know of Calypso, did I ever speak of her? Then again, she does know her fair share of pirate tales._ It dawned on her how little credence could actually be given to Lynette's claim.

"How do you even know of Calypso?" Elizabeth asked skeptically. Lynette looked away.

"Is that really of any importance?" She asked, hoping Elizabeth wouldn't offer an answer.

"Yes, it is." Elizabeth replied simply. Lynette sighed.

"I, er, you told me of her." Elizabeth looked at Lynette, cynically, for Lynette did not look Elizabeth in the eye when she said this.

"And why did she speak with you?" Elizabeth inquired doubtfully.

"Elizabeth," Lynette looked down at the floor nervously, "you're wasting time asking these irrelevant questions." Elizabeth knew something wasn't right, and she pondered over why Lynette was so extremely uncomfortable.

"Is this some sort of joke? If so, I do not find it the _least_ bit humorous!" Elizabeth said in a loud whisper, trying to speak in a low tone to keep from waking William.

"Elizabeth, I do not lie. I am dead serious. If you find that what I claim is not true, you can drown me... or whatever you please." Lynette looked at Elizabeth sternly. "You cannot pass up this opportunity. Not if I can help it. This provides a chance for Will to be freed of his duty! _Please_, Elizabeth." Lynette pleaded. Her face suddenly brightened, " and I'll go with you!"

"What? What about William?"

"Were you planning on leaving him with me?" Lynette smirked, "He can come, too. You know he'd love it, he could see his father," Lynette pleaded, "and I know _you'd_ love it. The adventure, Elizabeth." Elizabeth tried her best to look skeptical, but inside she was completely optimistic, dearly holding onto the hope that perhaps she could see Will again. Maybe he could come home. Elizabeth looked away, considering.

She desperately wanted the words Lynette spoke to be true, but she couldn't be sure.

But she wanted to be sure.

After a few moments, she looked back at Lynette.

"Okay, I'm going to trust you. I'll go." Lynette grinned at her. Elizabeth gave her a genuine smile back. She felt joyous, and embraced Lynette, despite all her doubts. Alas, Lynette also had her fears about the entire situation, but didn't reveal this to Elizabeth. They made their way back to the living room to inform Jack of their decision, completely unaware of William, confined in the closet, listening to every word.


	5. Chapter 5

Author's note: Hey guys! I apologize for the long wait, I'm going to try and update faster, but I've been quite busy. And thank you all for the lovely reviews, it's a pleasant surprise to get reviews every now and again. :-) Anyway, please read and review! Thank you!

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**Chapter 5**

Will Turner stumbled down the staircase to the rum cellar of the _Flying Dutchman_. He had never particularly fond of rum, but over the previous nine years, the taste of only water had turned bitter in his mouth. He held a lantern at his side and the light given off from it illuminated the entire musty cellar. He was especially tired and absentmindedly plucked the first bottle of rum he spotted from the shelf. It was extremely light, and his first thought was that it was empty. However, he glanced at the bottle and realized that it _wasn't_ filled with rum, but there was a crumpled paper inside of it. He hesitated, thinking it wasn't worth the trouble, but then wearily smashed the bottle against the nearest shelf and took the note from inside. Forgetting the rum completely, he walked to his quarters.

He traced every letter on the note for the hundredth time. _It can't be true,_ he thought, _It should be though... is it?_ Will read and reread the lettering written jaggedly across the aged paper.

_Among the islands of the north side of Hispaniola, there is about 325 leagues distant, as they say who have searched the same, in which is a continual spring of running water, of such marvelous virtue that the water thereof being drunk, perhaps with some diet, maketh old men young again, heal injury, lift every curse of any kind off any man. The Fountain of Youth._

_Lift every curse of any kind_. The words stuck out. His heart leapt... well, if he had a heart, it would have leapt. He was overjoyed, but only for a moment. Then he realized it was highly unlikely that the writing was actually true.

"Just a myth," he sighed, "a legend." Will collapsed onto the unmade bed just as "Bootstrap" Bill Turner entered the room. He froze.

"Excuse me, I-I should have knocked." "Bootstrap" stammered.

"It's all right." Will sat up to look at his father, who was staring intently at the letter Will was clutching tightly.

"What's that, if you don't mind me asking?" Will's father inquired, curiously, walking over to study the writing.

"... I'm not sure I know," Will replied, heaving yet another frustrated sigh. He swiftly handed the note to his father. If it had been nine years earlier, he would have hid the note, not allowing "Bootstrap" to even read it, due to his fierce anger and melancholy.

The first few months after having to leave his wife, Will was continually troubled by his own sorrow. He found it more awful to be separated from Elizabeth than to be dead, and he couldn't even bring himself to speak to his father, feeling that he would rather have died when he was stabbed than to live without her. He resentment, however, did eventually subside, for he knew that his father had only done what he had for the happiness of his son, although Will was still terribly saddened without Elizabeth. At least he could see her once every ten years; at least he could look forward to something.

"Bootstrap" read the writing, then turned to his son.

"I don't believe it," Will sighed. "Bootstrap" nodded.

"I can see why you're a bit skeptical," He smirked. The memo was extremely vague. They couldn't get far, but they could get closer. The two looked at the writing in silence, both of their minds racing, "but I've heard of it. The Fountain of Youth. One of the notorious tales the crew of the _Dutchman_ would tell, probably one of the most often mentioned. Never in my day have I met a man who said to have soaked in it. The tale, it could be true. May not be." He shrugged, returning his gaze to the note.

"We should go." Bill Turner stated flatly.

"What?!" Will exclaimed, shocked at his father's quick, chancy, decision.

"You've not much to lose, and plenty to gain. Only a few months, and ye can see yer wife. But we can go now, and be back in time. We can just see." Will still wasn't quite sure. He was secretly dying to go, to have the curse lifted, to step ashore whenever he wished. He was entirely confident in the Fountain of Youth, but he knew he had no reason to be.

With his thoughts again racing, all he could manage was a hesitant, "Okay," in reply.


	6. Chapter 6

Author's Note: Hey, guys! Thank you to all of my lovely readers and reviewers! Check out the new chapter and review, please. :)

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Chapter 6 

"How long will we be gone?" Inquired William, skipping slowly around his mother's room.

"I don't know," Elizabeth replied, distractedly, while packing both hers and William's trunks as quickly as possible. She walked from drawers to the trunks lying open on the bed; absentmindedly packing clothing and anything else she thought could be of some importance. It repeatedly ran through her head how completely out of her mind she was for even _considering_ the expedition, and then actually _agreeing_ to go, "It may be quite a while. So it's best if I pack as much as possible for us in as little space as I can manage."

"I can't wait," He smiled, "_Pirates_, mum! Adventure!" Elizabeth looked at him with a stern expression.

"William, these pirates... _never_ trust a pirate. They can lie, deceive, do awful things," She realized with alarm that she was not only describing other pirates, but her regretful past, as well. William was only half listening.

"Is Lynette a pirate?" He asked, "I mean, well, she knows all those pirate stories, she doesn't dress _ladylike_, and she lives on the beach," William paused, "and she sleeps _outside_. Except not always in the summer. She told me the mosquitoes bite awfully in the summer."

Elizabeth smiled faintly and stopped her packing. She had never really questioned as to whether or not Lynette was a pirate, but Elizabeth wouldn't be surprised if she was. Lynette could definitely call herself one. Elizabeth looked around the room, wondering if she had forgotten anything. She sighed, and decided to pack up the final thing on her listing. The heart. _His heart._ She shivered unintentionally as she walked over to her dresser and, from the bottom drawer, pulled out the chest.

William had seen it a few times before. His mother had always told him it was completely fine for him to look at the heart, but William preferred not to. It scared him, how his father's life was held inside a box. He still remembered the day his mother had explained the curse to him. He had only been about five, so he did not fully understand, but it had still shaken him.

Elizabeth suddenly remembered William's question about Lynette that remained unanswered as she packed the chest into the trunk with their other belongings.

"I'm not sure. Even if she was, I know not all pirates are dreadful... some are good men... and women. Will you help me shut this, William?" Elizabeth asked, pointing to the trunk, "Here, just... sit on it," William sat on top of the overstuffed suitcase as Elizabeth fastened both of the latches. "Thank you," She said. Then, she took a quick glance around the room, realizing how long it could be before she would see it again, "Well, I guess that's it. I suppose we're off now. Is there anything else?"

William shook his head, and then noticed something out of the corner of his eye. Elizabeth followed as he ran out onto the balcony overlooking all of Port Royal. William stood gaping at an enormous ship in the bay that had been revealed by the light given off from the sunrise. It's torn black sails fluttered faintly.

"The _Black Pearl_," Elizabeth whispered.

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Lynette was already at the bay when Elizabeth and William arrived. She had a torn rucksack slung over one shoulder that looked as if it was extremely old. Elizabeth had offered Lynette one of hers, but she had politely refused. She also had a belt with a pistol and a sword fastened onto it. _Pirate_, William thought to himself. Barbossa approached the three on the dock as soon as William and Elizabeth arrived. 

"Miss Turner," Barbossa grinned.

"Barbossa." Elizabeth nodded.

"It's been quite a while."

"Yes," Elizabeth nodded, staring back into Barbossa's harsh gaze. _But I wouldn't dare say it's been too long,_ she thought.

"Jack told me he was bringing aboard Miss Elizabeth, but not two other _children_." He scoffed, glancing from Lynette to William. William was intimidated by the man twice his size with a scraggly beard and attire with a disgusting stench. Elizabeth put hand on his shoulder. However, Lynette met his gaze.

"We're just as good as any other pirates you have aboard this vessel." She glared at him. "I also happen to be seventeen, but seeing as you're quite elderly, it's easy to understand why most people may appear as young children to you." He stared at her for a few moments, trying to place why he felt some hint of familiarity when he looked at her.

"Watch your tongue, or we'll shall not hesitate to throw ye overboard," Finally, he snorted and walked away. Elizabeth suppressed a smirk.

"Bloody bastard." Lynette mumbled under her breath as she boarded the _Black Pearl_.

Jack Sparrow stood at the helm of the ship, shouting orders to any unfortunate crewmembers that happened to walk past him. He grinned when he saw Elizabeth, William, and Lynette. Well, mostly because he saw Elizabeth. Not that he hated the other two, although he would try to make it out that he did, just for the sake of it. Jack was secretly happy for Elizabeth and Will that they had a son, but wouldn't try to mention that to them. And of course he would not hesitate to make a eunuch gag about it.

"Welcome aboard the _Black Pearl_. We're just preparing to set sail." He grinned.


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note:** Hey guys! Happy holidays! I've been really busy lately with everything: the holidays, etc. but I still feel awful that it's been over a moth since I've updated. I've really been trying to make sure that everything will make sense in the end and that the plot is going to move along well. I've also decided that I'm going to reply to all of the reviews I get from now on, since some one I know made me realize that if you all took the time to read and review, I should reply, of course! Thank you guys so much for the wonderful reviews, they really encourage me to write more. Alex - obsessive pirate lover :)

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**Chapter 7**

Barbossa stood at the helm of the _Black Pearl_. He watched Cotton steer the ship, then he looked back at the map once again. It looked quite pitiful since it had no center and, therefore, it was useless. _Where is he?_ thought Barbossa, knitting his eyebrows. He scanned the deck and, seeing no sign of Jack, looked back down at his map, since he was too lazy to go get him. He was beginning to question the credence that could be given to the claim that the Fountain of Youth actually granted immortality. There had to be a catch. He was still pondering this when Jack suddenly appeared beside him, startling Barbossa, although he did his best to hide it.

"There ye are, Hector!" He exclaimed, "and what a lovely map ye have there. Must've been quite a help." He smirked at the feeble map and then looked back at his portion of it tucked under his arm. Barbossa was finding Jack's sarcasm less and less amusing. Not that he had ever found it amusing, but now it was going from annoying to infuriating. It was all he could do to not pull out his pistol and shoot him on the spot. _He might be of some use later_, Barbossa thought, trying to calm himself.

"Let's just see that map of yours." Barbossa grinned. Jack looked at him suspiciously.

"Put down yer pistol... and sword...and any other weapon you happen to have with you. Once I hand the map over, what would prevent you from shooting me?" Jack sneered.

"I could just shoot ye now and pry the map from you're lifeless grasp, but I haven't yet." He replied. Jack raised an eyebrow impatiently. Seeing that Jack wouldn't give in, Barbossa unhooked his belt of weapons and placed it on the deck. _Just let me see the bloody map,_ he thought.

Jack, finally convinced, placed the map on the railing in front of the helm where Cotton was steering. He matched its ragged edges with Barbossa's part of the map. They both stared fixedly at the map. Barbossa's baffled facial expression reminded Jack that this was the first time Barbossa had actually attempted to decode the course to the Fountain from on the map. Barbossa continued to stare at the map, wrinkling his forehead.

"Do ye care to explain to me this map?"

"I said I'd let ye glimpse at the map. I did not guarantee I would make sense of the map for ye," Jack snapped at Barbossa, "Why do you think I was residing on that same bloody port for the last few years?" He said, frustrated. This was partially because he couldn't figure out the map, and partially because neither could Barbossa. Therefore, he was in the same situation as he had been for several years.

They stood at the helm gazing at the completely simple, yet entirely too complex design of the unreadable map. The strong wind blew unsettlingly at the sails of the ship. They had set sail only a few hours ago and the two were already quarreling.

"It be entirely too vague to lead us anywhere." Barbossa grimaced. He stared at the symbols on the map that seemed to have been placed there in any random order. He laid it flat onto the rail in front of the wheel again, looking up at Jack and rolling his eyes.

"Well, now what?" He asked, wishing there was some rum around at that moment.

"What do ye mean?" Jack asked, tracing the letters and symbols on the map with his thumb.

"I mean, we have a crew awaiting a fountain that will grant immortality, but we don't have the slightest idea where it may be," He sighed, "Would ye like to inform them?"

"... no."

"Ah, I thought not."

"Well," Jack began, "We know it's somewhere around... here," He paused, putting his palm on the words _Aqua de Vida_, "so the other symbols on this ring must somehow demonstrate how to progress there," He said, tracing a ring on the map.

"Right, of course." Barbossa said sarcastically, staring out into the miles and miles of pale, blue-green ocean and the speck in the distance that was Port Royal. Barbossa sighed impatiently. He looked back at the map, noticing something he hadn't before. Scrawled next to an odd looking ship with red crosses of tattered sails was a name. _Ponce de Leon._ The ship was on the map, not far from the Fountain. He stared at the title, trying to see if it triggered any memory. Jack noticed his intense gaze, and followed it to the same spot on the map.

"Who's that?" Jack questioned. Barbossa only shrugged, unable to admit that the name could be very important, yet he did not know of it.

"Ponce de Leon... de Leon... I know of him. European explorer, he was. Discovered some spit of land and called it Florida. _Amazing,_" Jack said, sarcastically. Under his breath, he added, "Idiot."

Barbossa smirked. There was silence for a few moments as the two silently pondered to themselves what the importance of this man was. Finally, Jack broke the silence by asking the question, "You don't know why he's on the map?" Barbossa, again, only shrugged.

* * *

Elizabeth stared out into the ocean, William close by her side.

"Wow," He sighed. Elizabeth smiled. _This is what I was missing_, she thought. She loved how it felt to have the wind blowing through her hair, seeing the crew shouting orders at one another, staring out into the endless ocean. "There's so much ocean. An expanse that hasn't even been explored." Elizabeth nodded, following William's gaze. There was silence between them, but it wasn't an uncomfortable silence. It was more of a calm silence. William decided that with the mood being so serene, it wouldn't hurt to bring up a topic that his mother scarcely discussed.

"What was my father like?" William asked cautiously, "Was he... pleasant?" Elizabeth smiled sadly.

"Yes, definitely. He was quite _pleasant_," She replied, "Kind and compassionate, very handsome, too," She smiled, "like you." William looked up at her as she stroked his hair, tucking it behind his ear to keep it out of his face.

"He looked like me?" He asked eagerly. She nodded.

"Same smile. Same eyes." She grinned. The few sentences they had exchanged had been enough for William. Enough reassurance, enough hope. He turned his head towards the helm just in time to see Lynette about to walk up the steps to the helm. He called out to her and she turned abruptly.

"What are you doing?" He asked curiously. She walked back down the steps and approached Elizabeth and William.

"I'm going to try and convince Barbossa to let me steer the _Pearl_ for a bit. Or rather, I'll talk to whoever is steering right now, I'm sure they'd be overjoyed to be relieved of their duty. Would either of you like to tag along?" She asked. William nodded, then looked at his mother expectantly. She shook her head.

"That's all right, you two go." She smiled. William waved and they went off to argue with and further annoy who was unlucky enough to be steering the _Black Pearl_ at the moment.

So, finally, Elizabeth was alone with her thoughts, staring out into the mist and turquoise water.


	8. Chapter 8

Author's Note: Hey again! It's Alex, of course. Can you believe I actually managed to get another chapter up only ten days after the previous one? Yeah, me neither. Haha.Well, here's chapter eight: a mushy Willabeth scene, mostly of thoughts. It's a bit slow, and sad, but the next chapter will keep it moving along. This is just to kind of show you how much Will and Elizabeth miss each other. By the way, I did change the summary of the story, but this is the same story, I just changed it to make it sound more interesting... did it work? Finally, I took the rating down from T to K+ because there really isn't anything that's T-rated material. Anyway, enjoy! Thank you for the reviews, also, and I'd love it if you all took time to review again. Thanks:)

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**Chapter 8**

Meanwhile, miles away stood a very forlorn Captain Will Turner, looking over the railing of the _Dutchman_ into the same horizon as Elizabeth. He sighed, dying for company. _Not just any company,_ he thought, _Elizabeth_.

He longed to say that name and have her turn around, giving him that familiar questioning expression.

"Elizabeth," He whispered under his breath. Over the years, he found that her name was harder and harder for him to say out loud, for it caused him pain. Still, he did say it, and he smiled sadly, bitterly, at the sound of her name. _I miss her smile. I miss her laugh, the occasions during which she did laugh. I miss her._ He went through all of her traits that he missed in his mind. Abruptly he froze as a dreadful thought crossed his mind. _What if something happened to her, _he thought_, what if she got injured? …What if she's – No!_ Will shook his head vigorously, but the harmful thoughts continued to race through his mind. _What if she fell in love again? With someone else while I was away? Maybe absence doesn't make the heart grow fonder. _

Will looked down at his hands, thinking of the many things that could change over the course of ten years. His knuckles were white from clutching the railing of the _Dutchman_ so tightly. He loosened his grip and began drumming his fingers on the edge of the ship nervously. It wasn't as if thoughts like these hadn't crossed his mind before. However, now he realized he really _could_ make it through the ten years, barely though, and hopefully see her again. And only a couple more months were left to wait. The expedition to the Fountain of Youth had not been running as effectively as he would have liked, and Will did not know if they would make it in time to be back to see Elizabeth, which caused him to panic. He was considering simply turning around and forgetting the message in the bottle. He did not know what he would do when they reached Hispaniola, either, since the message was so vague that there was no direction to turn after they reached a certain point. Will sighed, overly tense from what was occurring. Finally, his thoughts returned to his wife.

What if something had happened, and she wasn't there or she no longer loved him. He remembered the last day they had spent together on the beach. He remembered the look on her face when she saw the wound on his chest. She had tried to look so strong, but Will could tell she was dying inside. The wound meant she could only see him once every _ten years_. He did not want her to be alone for so long. He had considered telling her that, because of the circumstances, they could not be together. Although he did want to be with her, to call Elizabeth his wife. But he could not do that to her, rob her of her own life by keeping a marriage that hardly existed. _Isn't that what a marriage is for? So that two lovers never have to be parted from one another?_ He had finally said it, despite how much he loved her.

"_I do not think we should be together. I love you, and for this reason, I do not want you to live in abeyance except once every ten years." He had whispered. She had put a finger to his lips, quieting him. _

"_I love you, and for _this_ reason, I want to forever be wedded to you. We will always be one, even when apart. I could never find another man to love. Never one as wonderful as you." She had whispered. "I will wait for you."_

He grinned faintly, remembering her face._ I love her. This is cruel. _Those thoughts repeatedly ran through his mind.

_Would there be any reason left to live?_ He thought, remembering his past negative thoughts. He scowled. _She's there... waiting... and she wouldn't want me like this. But does she really expect me to be happy without her? What about her, does Elizabeth think about me? At all?_

Elizabeth sat on the stairs that lead up to the helm of the Pearl. She smirked, remembering the conversation she had the last time she was in that position. Then she frowned, remembering the other things that had occurred on that ship. Betrayal. The stupidity of her previous actions had come to mind, and she was endlessly tortured in her mind because of the ongoing guilt she felt. The past nine years had given her time to think. She would tell Jack eventually.

Her thoughts shifted to her husband. How she missed him. How she needed him. How her thought were continuously full of him. How she couldn't focus and would often find herself mindlessly doing something wrong, because she was thinking of him. She would wake up in the middle of the night and hear deathly silence, instead of what she knew she should hear, steady breathing by her side. To fill the silence, she would take the chest out of her dresser and lay it next to her on the bed so she could hear the steady beating of his heart. Then she would cry. When no one was around, the tears would fall. She was not one to cry, but she could not help but feel weaker without him. On lonely nights, she was haunted by the scene that played over and over again in her mind. Davy Jones piercing Will's heart. She felt that when Davy Jones had killed Will, he had also killed a part of her. A huge part.

"Will," She whispered. In an instant, the wind swallowed her word. His name.

Elizabeth couldn't stand to be without him, yet she had no choice but to wait. Wait. She had never been good at waiting. She had always had an impatient nature, but ten years without her lover was an extremely long time, especially for an impatient person.

She pulled out the key from underneath her blouse. The key was old and quite rusty. She fingered its rough edges and then ran her palm on the string that kept it fastened around her neck.

"_Will you keep it safe?_" Her husband's words echoed in her head. She thought of where the chest was. Where the item that the aged key unlocked was. Of course, it was in one of the trunks she had brought, sitting on the bed in the considerably small cabin Jack had given to William and Elizabeth.

"It's a cubbyhole!" Lynette had earlier exclaimed, "I mean, mine's no bigger, but I don't have to share it."

_What if Jack only brought me along, knowing I'd bring the chest, so that he could gain immortality for himself... by taking Will's place aboard the Dutchman! _Elizabeth jumped to her feet at this terrifying thought and ran below deck. She dashed into her cabin, slamming the door behind her. She was alone, and her luggage seemed untouched. Still, she opened the bag with the chest in it. She pulled it out and laid it on the cot, slipping the key into the keyhole and lifting the top of the chest. She gasped quietly at the sight of the beating heart. She had only looked at it a few times, for it pained her to look at it, and it always surprised her. She closed the chest and put it back in the suitcase.

Finally, Elizabeth collapsed on the bed, filled with relief. _He wouldn't do that,_ she thought, _I know Jack wouldn't do that. He's a good man. Well, there have been several occasions where he's acted less that honorable, but—_

William burst through the door only seconds later.

"I saw you run down here... I wanted to see if you were alright." He said, out of breath. She stood up and walked over to him.

"Thank you William," she hugged him, "I'm fine."


	9. Chapter 9

Author's Note: Thank you to all of my lovely readers and reviewers! I appreciate it!

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**Chapter 9**

William approached Lynette, who was standing at the stern, marveling at the vastness of the sea.

"Is she alright?" Lynette inquired, concerned.

"She's okay, I think. She didn't say much, just that she was tired. So she's napping now." William replied, uncertainly. Lynette nodded.

"Cotton said no. Actually, Cotton's parrot said no." Lynette stated gloomily, referring to being granted permission to steer the ship.

"I figured." Replied William.

She turned so that she was looking at William and the deck of the _Black Pearl_. She looked past William and something caught her eye. She grinned, casually walking over to the shrouds that stretched from the railing of the ship up to one of the masts. She hauled one foot up onto the railing, and then the other. Soon she was standing on the edge of the railing with one foot already in the rope mesh.

"_Not_ a good idea," She whispered under her breath, smirking faintly. She looked over at William who currently had a sly grin plastered to his face.

"Can I come?" He smiled. Lynette nodded.

"Under one condition. Do _not_ fall over the edge. There'll be serious consequences for the both of us." She said. William grinned, stepping onto the railing with Lynette. She began climbing and William soon caught up. They slowly ascended until William stopped, breathing heavily. He looked down and a quiet gasp escaped his lips.

"We're..." He paused, still out of breath, "We're... quite high up." William again looked down at the deck nervously, although he knew he should just stop looking down.

Lynette nodded. "I know. Great, isn't it? Turn around, William." William was looking down at his hands tightly clutching the ropes, reluctant to turn around in fear of his hands subconsciously letting go. Finally, he took a deep breath and looked out over his shoulder. Lynette had already turned her slim body all the way around so her back was resting against the ropes. The sight of the ocean far below him, and surrounding him in all directions was quite frightening, but exhilarating, nonetheless. They gawked at the open sea for a few more moments.

"It's so... big."

"Yes," Lynette sighed, and they continued to admire the expanse a while longer, "Well, we should probably get down before someone scolds us." Lynette began, turning around to regain her grip on the ship's ropes. William nodded, but took one long glance at the sea... and noticed something he hadn't before.

"Lynette... look at that." He said, pointing over towards the east.

"What'd you say?" She asked, climbing back up to where William was frozen.

"That... that ship." He pointed. It was a ship far off in the distance, but not completely out of their visibility. Had it not been for the red sails, it could have been taken as a ship carrying luggage or other cargo. The weathered sails raised question in Lynette's mind, but she decided there was no reason to fret.

"Yes... we should probably let Jack or Barbossa know it's approaching. But they may have already seen it..." She said, curious to why the ship had intrigued William so greatly.

"Do you think it's my father?" He asked hopefully, "I... I heard my mum talking to you about him before..." He trailed off. She smiled sadly, not surprised that he couldn't resist sneaking and "overhearing" conversations.

"I don't think that's him. I'm sorry... but if I ever see your father's ship on the horizon, I'll let you know." She said. He sighed and began climbing down the shrouds.

* * *

Jack stood at the railing of the Black Pearl, propping his elbows up on the edge of the ship. He sighed, fiddling with the golden ring on his finger. He tapped on the red ruby and then returned his gaze to the setting sun. He knew something the rest of them did not; he knew what awaited them at the Fountain. He had planned on not telling them, and he would be fine. If he told them, they would not continue. Well, most likely they actually would because they would not believe him. So he convinced himself that there was no use telling them. 

Jack could not stand not knowing what he did not know. He needed to know everything. He usually did, or he acted like he did and eventually convinced himself he really did. But he did not know the answer to his question, about her. The answer, he could not control. He had doubts that perhaps the answer would not be one he desired. And therefore the answer worried him.

* * *

Barbossa stared through his telescope at the ship Lynette had mentioned to him earlier. It was much closer now, and the ship had obviously had some damages done to it. One of the masts was fallen, and the sails were tattered. The planks that made up the sides of the ship were mostly torn off. He was surprised that it was even able to sail. 

Jack approached Barbossa with the maps and a telescope of his own. He didn't need them to notice red sails on the ship. He hastily pulled out the map from under his arm and spread it out in front of him, holding one end with each hand. There was a ship on the diagram that looked quite similar to the one that was sailing on the horizon, except in much better condition.

"Do ye think that ship be of some significance?" Barbossa inquired, noticing Jack's questioning stare at the ship on the map. Jack nodded.

"Undeniably significant," He began, "I say we cross paths with them and negotiate a bit." Barbossa looked at him, as if asking him to continue, because right then he had no idea where Jack was going with the plan, "They be on the map. Did ye not notice?" Jack did not wait for a reply, "I thought not. They may be of some importance. They're captain may, in fact, be able to lead us to the Fountain of Youth, if we offer them a place aboard the Black Pearl, that is." Jack lifted an eyebrow. Barbossa rolled his eyes, still unsure of the situation.

"And what makes you so sure that they be essential?"

"They're on the map." He repeated with a shrug, as if Barbossa had asked the most obvious question, "Besides, if they're of no help, we just shoot them and take any loot." He smirked. Barbossa took one last glance at the map and nodded.

* * *

Ponce de Leon stood on the deck of the Black Pearl, looking rather annoyed. He was quite unattractive, to say the least. A horrific aroma followed him everywhere, and it was most likely he hadn't bathed for even longer than the crewmembers of the _Black Pearl_. Jack stepped down from the helm and stepped towards de Leon until he was only feet away. He honestly still could only guess who the man owning the destroyed, red-sailed ship was, and he couldn't see him well in the dim light. The sun had set only around an hour ago, and the quiet wind was already unpleasantly cold. Jack Sparrow stepped forward and held out his hand. 

"Captain Jack Sparrow." He said.

"Juan Ponce de Leon." The man shook Jack's hand. Jack froze for a moment, looking over at Barbossa to give him an I-told-you-so look. Jack looked over at de Leon's ship with a bewildered expression.

"Ah, discoverer of La Florida, aye?" Ponce de Leon nodded. "So... what unfortunate mishap has occurred on your ship? Looks bloody awful. " He said. De Leon snorted.

"It looks not nearly as bad as it actually is. I started with three ships and two hundred men," He grimaced, looking at his one remaining destroyed ship and small handful of men, "An attack by some natives on my expedition." He sighed, "My crew had to turn back. We seem to be running low on supplies, and our ship isn't in sailing condition."

"Apparently." He smirked. De Leon gave him a warning look, "Anyway, where were you headed?" Jack asked, although he was almost completely sure of the answer.

"A notorious myth. The Fountain of Youth." He said.

"Ah," He replied, again looking over his shoulder at Barbossa, smugly, "How peculiar. Since that be the identical legendary location my crew is headed towards."

"Peculiar indeed." He nodded.

"So how close were you? To the Fountain, that is?"

"Very close. So near. But we got off course and lost our way. If only we were in possession of a certain map--"

"Map?" He interrupted, trying to sound careless, although his attempt failed. De Leon nodded, "Well," Jack continued, "I happen to have a map that you could perhaps help us decipher. It is said to have a chart leading to the Fountain on it. A map, formerly belonging to the pirate captain, Sao Feng," Ponce de Leon's eyes widened slightly, making it clear that the map Jack was describing was the one de Leon needed.

"The navigational charts." Ponce de Leon half asked, half stated. Jack nodded.

"What's say you to this? In turn for leading us to the location of said Fountain, I happen to have in my possession a ship in mint condition," He said, waving his head around the deck, "and food and drink for ye crew." De Leon paused, considering the offer, and then nodded in agreement.

"Aye."


End file.
